Paradigm Shift: Outcomes from a Physician-Scientist Undergraduate Pipeline Program

Diverse medical and research teams are essential to culturally-responsive care and robust progress of biomedical research. However, structural inequities stymie the entry of trainees from underrepresented in medicine (URiM) backgrounds into the physician-scientist pipeline. The Preparation for Graduate and Medical Education (PARAdiGM) program was designed to provide students from underrepresented backgrounds early exposure to physician-scientist training in the context of ample mentorship and programmatic support. By emphasizing research experience, career exposure, presentation skills, mentorship, and application assistance, PARAdiGM is an incipient experience priming this student group to pursue careers in academic medicine. Since its establishment in 2014, PARAdiGM is already increasing entry of URiM students into the physician-scientist pipeline. Encouragingly, the majority of PARAdiGM alumni have matriculated into US medical schools, of which 16% are currently enrolled in MD-PhD programs. Early outcomes from PARAdiGM suggest that an immersive framework, longitudinal mentoring, and opportunity for self-growth should be incorporated into URiM pipeline programs on a larger scale. In these ways, helping students to envision themselves as members of the physician-scientist community is a step toward breaking down the barriers currently limiting URiM entry into academic medicine.